Super Dangan Ronpa 2 Drabbles: Nidai Nekomaru
by Ghaskan
Summary: A compilation of drabbles featuring Nidai Nekomaru. Rated M because of the second chapter (contains graphic violence) - the first one is safe for everyone. Beware of ENDGAME SPOILERS, also in the second chapter. Ongoing. Written in 2013.
1. 1

"You really do look like a fat cat!"

That hurt him. He wanted to cry, but he held the tears. It was not like he was unused to such a treatment. And it was not like it was untrue, either: his weight was more than it should be, conferring his body the shape of a barrel, and, on top of that, his round head was adorned by a wild mane of hair with funny tips on the sides that reassembled a cat's ears.

The name he carried was a hindrance, too.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it that way, Nekomaru-kun!"

_That_ name.

Could he really blame others when his own name meant "round cat"?

"Can we still be friends?"

Nekomaru looked up, his eyes clouded in tears. Surely his ears must be fooling him – nobody wanted to befriend the round cat who was unable to play with the other kids.

"F-friends? With me?"

The other kid nodded. Nekomaru noted that he was lanky, a bit too much in fact, and he wore glasses that reflected the sun's rays on their surface. His smile was cute, showing that his front teeth were very long, like a mouse's.

"But I can't even play with you… I can only play videogames…" Nekomaru said.

"That's not a problem. Friends also talk a lot. That's what my father is always doing with his friends anyway. And they like drinking too, though… if I drank that much I wouldn't be able to hold it at night," the lanky kid said, and then blushed. "Ah, I talked too much! This sure is embarrassing, haha! Snort! Hahaha…"

Nekomaru blinked. That chuckle was something else. His poker face soon fell apart as he burst into laughter. It was different, deeper, close to a roar despite the lower pitch his young vocal chords carried.

"Hahahaha! Got'cha! Snort!"

The two kids kept laughing (and snorting) together for a while, until Nekomaru suddenly stopped, gasping for breath

"What's wrong, Nekomaru-kun?!"

"Ah… ah… nothing, I'm OK… please don't worry... My heart is just a little weak."

"Is it?" The other kid frowned. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry about it," Nekomaru said with a weak smile, "I just overdid it. But I really liked to laugh with you, it was fun!"

"That's a relief! Uh, I'm Daisuke. Sorry for using your name without asking for it first, but it's nice to meet you!"

"Likewise! Ah… Do you mind if we sit for a while?"

Daisuke gave him a thumbs up and the kids sat on the edge of the sidewalk, since there was no traffic at that time.

"Hey," Nekomaru began, "Is there any dream you have?"

"Yeah. I want to be an ace pitcher! They look so cool on TV! But… you see, I'm not strong enough and I'm always messing up. My father says I should focus on books, since I'm pretty good at studying."

"I like studying too! My favourite subject is Maths!" Nekomaru blurted, in an attempt to buy time while constructing a better reply, "They said the same to me. You know, that I'm not strong enough. I never wanted to be a pro, I just wanted to be able to play with the other kids…"

"And you will! As long as you are alive, any dream can come true, right?"

Nekomaru's eyes widened. For him, each day was a battle, as he had been born with a faulty heart that could fail him at any moment. It had never crossed his mind, however, that he was alive, the only condition necessary to eventually make any dream come true. Not only that, his body and the people who took care of him were fighting to increase the chances of that happening. They were fighting for his dreams.

The tears ran freely down his cheeks.

"Nekomaru-kun, what's wrong?!" Daisuke asked worriedly, "Does it hurt anywhere?"

The bulkier kid shook his head, sobbing.

"I-it's just that… sniff…" Nekomaru wiped the tears from his eyes and took a deep breath, "Thank you, Daisuke-kun."

Before he could get any reply, Nekomaru hugged his newfound friend. Daisuke hugged him back, and began weeping alongside him.

"Waaah! I'm sorry for saying that. I can't even make my own dream true!" Daisuke said.

"W-what are you talking about? One day, I'll see you making the other team get more strikes than there are stars in the sky!"

He had no idea of how to do that, however, Nekomaru hoped that he would be able to help Daisuke and fulfill that promise in the future.

As long as they were alive, nothing was impossible.


	2. 2

Lub dub lub dub lub dub. The heart was still beating fast. He sunk his teeth deep into it, tasting the metallic tang, and then he chewed the chunk of myocardium, slowly. Finally, he swallowed it.

If only eating the hearts of others would strengthen his.

* * *

Nidai Nekomaru had been born with a heart defect, a condition that had prevented his childhood from being normal, by making it impossible for him to do sports and causing him to visit the hospital constantly, sometimes for days at a time. However, thanks to another person who stayed at the same hospital, he had managed to become a legendary coach and grow with as much health as he possibly could. He had defied the odds and done the impossible.

And yet, a shadow crept through him, ever so close to his mind. He had grown, but that did not null his weakness. Sooner or later, his heart, the one who pumped life through his veins, would bring forth his death.

Unbelievable. Despite his efforts, he was still condemned. Hell, his efforts themselves could trigger the beginning of his end, if he tried too hard.

Truly a despairing situation.

Indeed. There was no hope.

Only despair.

* * *

Nidai could no longer properly recall how he met the girl, Enoshima Junko. Not like that mattered. She had come for him, like an angel fallen from Heaven. She made promises that not only the greatest doctors could hope to fulfill.

_Those bastards can't get you a new heart?_

_It's ok. There will be plenty of hearts to choose from!_

All his life, Nidai had fought against death. He had feared it. And, after that fateful encounter, he embraced it, delivering the fatal end to more people than he could keep track of in his frenzy. The sooner he did what the angel wanted, the sooner she would save him.

* * *

The first time had been difficult. He was desperate, but what he was about to do was wrong.

_Survival of the fittest_, a boy in his group with a single earring had whispered to him. That was simple enough. You kill. You survive.

Soon enough, the snap of a breaking neck had filled the air, along with a piercing cry for help.

* * *

He swallowed the last piece of the heart that had been beating inside the chest of the little girl just a few minutes earlier. Would the slaughter ever stop?

The tears certainly wouldn't.


End file.
